The 16th edition of the India Art Fair, held from February 6th to 9th, 2025, proved to be a resounding success, exceeding expectations and solidifying its position as a leading cultural event. This year’s fair made a significant leap forward by prominently featuring design, alongside its established focus on art, and fostering insightful dialogues through its “Growing Focus” lecture series. The event attracted a diverse audience, encompassing art enthusiasts, design aficionados, and cultural influencers, all eager to experience the burgeoning Contemporary Art In India.
A New Chapter for Design
Inspired by the previous year’s successful design showcase, the 2025 fair significantly amplified its design presence. Eleven pioneering studios presented exclusive, limited-edition, handcrafted collectable designs, elevating the design experience to new heights. Participating studios included Vikram Goyal, Atelier Ashiesh Shah, Gunjan Gupta, ROOSHADSHROFF, Studio Renn, DeMuro Das, Jaipur Rugs, Nolwa Studio, Studio Nyn, Studio Raw Material, and Tania & Sandeep Khosla in association with Mangrove Collective. This curated selection showcased the interplay of history, culture, and innovation, demonstrating the evolution of aesthetics through Conceptual Art Exhibitions. The fair also welcomed the prestigious Carpenters Workshop Gallery to the main Galleries section, accompanied by a special showcase curated by Alaiia Gujral, featuring seven up-and-coming designers. Jaya Asokan, Director of India Art Fair, expressed the ambition to replicate the fair’s impact on the art world for the design sector, emphasizing the rich craft traditions of India and the need for contemporary interventions. The focus was clearly on fresh voices and tight curation, delivering an exciting experience for today’s consumers.
Trailblazers of Design
The design section highlighted numerous boundary-breaking designers who forged unique connections between nature and design. Among them, Ashiesh Shah, founder of Atelier Ashish Shah, stood out. Shah’s work, rooted in craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability, revolved around geometry, materiality, and the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic. His transition from interior to product design stemmed from years of creating custom furniture. Atelier designs drew inspiration from Indian geometry and cosmic forms while showcasing lesser-known Indian crafts like Channapatna, Dhokra, and Longpi, resulting in functional, contemporary monoforms.
Gunjan Gupta presented her new collection, “Craft-itecture,” a series of handmade objects conceived in collaboration with master artisans and ateliers across India. By blending various materials and techniques, these functional artworks blurred the lines between art and utility. Gupta’s signature style revisited traditional Indian icons and monuments, reimagining them as contemporary artefacts for modern homes. Her work seamlessly is a fusion of Traditional and Modern Art, creating culturally driven pieces rooted in heritage yet strikingly modern.
Nolwa Studio, a newcomer to the fair, captivated visitors with its innovative approach to merging traditional artistry with contemporary design. Inspired by India’s diverse and endangered craft forms, the studio emphasized the transformative power of these crafts in modern design. Their “Bidri Collection,” a contemporary reinterpretation of the 600-year-old Bidri craft, showcased elements of minimalism, geometry, and curves. The fair also saw the unveiling of “Bidri,” the fifth in a limited-edition series from Nolwa Studio, a revolutionary exploration of parametric design.
Studio Raw Material, based in Rajasthan, explored the interaction of environments, objects, and culture through its research and design practices. Focusing on the movement of materials, particularly those connected to the soil, the studio challenged nostalgic interpretations of materials like Makrana’s white marble. Their newest series, “Khokhar,” reflected the rocky landscape of Makrana, where pathways are created from leftover stone slabs. The resulting compositions were dynamic, fragmented, and mutable.
Architect Sandeep Khosla and graphic designer Tania Khosla, co-founders of Arch303, returned to the fair in association with the Mangrove Collective, showcasing striking furniture pieces. Their latest exhibition featured a dialogue of form, colour, and texture, weaving together memory and modern design. These works, celebrating the interplay between the handmade and the machine-made, existed at the intersection of innovation, craft, art, and utility.
A Celebration of Art
Beyond the exciting design section, the fair continued its tradition of showcasing exceptional South Asian art. Leading contemporary and modern galleries, including Art Alive Gallery, Chatterjee & Lal, Jhaveri Contemporary, Emami Art, Srishti Art Gallery, Kalakriti Art Gallery, and DAG, featuring works by renowned artists such as Abanindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, FN Souza, MF Husain, and Jogen Chowdhury.
Engaging Dialogues and Discussions
The India Art Fair 2025 was not just a visual spectacle; it also provided a platform for intellectual engagement through its “Growing Focus” lecture series, supported by the JWS Foundation. Eminent speakers, including Sangita Jindal, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and the artist duo Thukral and Tagra, led discussions on cultural exchange, grassroots art movements, and the role of technology in contemporary practice. A particularly compelling session, “Museums as Incubators,” featured a distinguished panel of experts, including Kamini Sawhney, Ferran Barenblit, and Naomi Beckwith, who explored how intergenerational support in museums can subvert tokenized representation, amplify marginalized voices, and create more inclusive cultural spaces.
A Cultural Phenomenon
The India Art Fair 2025 successfully positioned itself as a pivotal cultural event, attracting a diverse audience from the worlds of art, culture, and design. The inclusion of a prominent design section, alongside the established art displays and thought-provoking talks, solidified the fair’s reputation as a dynamic platform for experiencing the evolving Indian cultural landscape. The event served as a testament to the thriving creative scene in India and its growing influence on the global stage.
Image Courtesy- India Art Fair
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